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Pulau Tikus is a neighbourhood within the downtown core of George Town in the Malaysian state of Penang. Named after Tikus Island, this upper class neighbourhood is home to Eurasian, Thai and Bamar people communities.
Established soon after Captain Francis Light's founding of Penang Island in 1786, Pulau Tikus has been home to various cultures since the first days of British rule. The aforementioned communities have built impressive places of worship within Pulau Tikus, such as Catholic churches and Buddhist temples adorned with architectural designs of their native homelands.
In addition, a number of consulates have been established here.
The Burmese were also among the earliest settlers at Pulau Tikus. A Burmese village, Kampung Ava, was established in the early 19th century, as well as the Dhammikarama Burmese Temple, which was built in 1803. The Thai people, who mainly resided at Kampung Siam, later built two more Buddhist temples at Pulau Tikus – Wat Chaiyamangkalaram and Wat Buppharam.
To the southwest, James Scott, a partner of Captain Francis Light, founded the Ayer Rajah Estate. As per the usual practice at the time, Indian labourers were brought in to work in the agricultural estates; the Indian community would eventually build a handful of Hindu temples here, such as Arulmigu Balathandayuthapani Temple and Nattukkottai Chettiar Temple.
The growth of George Town over the centuries eventually swallowed up Pulau Tikus, turning it into an afflient neighbourhood within the city centre. In recent decades, urbanisation has led to the mushrooming of upmarket condominiums and commercial properties within Pulau Tikus and the vicinity of Gurney Drive.
Pulau Tikus is served by two of Rapid Penang's free-of-charge transit routes – namely the Pulau Tikus Loop (PTL) and the Congestion Alleviation Transport (CAT) Tanjung Tokong route. Aside from the PTL and the CAT, Rapid Penang's routes 101, 102, 103, 104 and 304 connect Pulau Tikus with various destinations in the city, including the Penang International Airport, Queensbay Mall, Batu Ferringhi and Teluk Bahang.
Another bus service that caters specifically to tourists is the Hop-On Hop-Off service, which utilises open-topped double-decker buses. The Hop-On Hop-Off service includes stops at Kelawei Road, allowing tourists to visit the Siamese and Burmese temples along the road, including Wat Chaiyamangkalaram and Dhammikarama Temple.
Efforts have also been made to improve pedestrianisation within Pulau Tikus, such as the tactile paving of the roadside pedestrian walkways for the visually-impaired, and the use of natural or man-made barriers between the road and the pedestrian walkway to improve the safety of pedestrians.
Other than that, LinkBike stations have been installed at Kelawei Road, enabling cyclists to rent bicycles to commute around the city.
Notably, Pulau Tikus is home to the Penang Chinese Girls' High School, one of the premier Chinese schools in Penang. Founded in 1919, this school at Gottlieb Road has retained the consistent academic performance of its students. In addition, Phor Tay Private High School, the first Buddhist school in Malaysia, is also situated at Jalan Bagan Jermal, along the western edge of Pulau Tikus.
The schools and colleges at Pulau Tikus are as listed below.
Primary schools
High schools
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